The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-12-09
Miners Grievances.

gard to revenue revision, CARED out.
Miners Grievances
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE CAUSES
WHICH LED TO THE STRIKE IN THE
COAL REGIONS ISSUED BY THE
REPRESENTATIVES, OF TUE
STRIKERS.
The joint committee who have in
hand the management of the strike in
the anthracite coal regions of the Le-
high Valley has issued the following
appeal to the public:
During the last decade the wages of
all classes of labor, particularly skilled
labor, have gradually and steadily ad.
vanced, but the wages of the anthra-
cite coal worker have just as gradually
been reduced. In proof of this asser-
ton we find, by reference, the wages
paid to laborers in the anthracite coal
regions in past years eqnal the average
wages paid skilled labor in any section
of the country.
During the existence of the Work
ingmen's Beoevolent Association, from
1869 to 1874 inclusive, the wages paid
the anthracite miner were kept at a
figure sufficiently large, but the great
strike of the year 1875 terminated in
defeat to the men, brought down
wages with crash and left the miners
to the mercy of the operators and cor
porations, protest being useless The
miners in the middle Lehigh region,
which includes the lower portions of
Luzerne county, the mining region of
Carbon county and that portion Of
Schuylkill county known as the
Panther Creek Valley, have in the last
two years made demands for an in
crease in pay. The first demand was
adopted at a convention of the Miners
and Laborers' Amalgamated Associa
ton aud the Knights of Labor, held at
Wilkesbarre on January 27, 1886.
The second effort was made with
the Lehigh operators iu writing, signed
by the representatives of the workmen
and dated the 9th of March, 1885, re-
quest,ng reduction of the hours per
day on and after the 1st day of May,
1886, the demand formally submitted
to govern the rate of wages paid,
neither proposition being honored by
an answer. Owing to the increase in
wages in other sections of the country
and the prosperous condition Of the
coal trade (it must be remembered the
Schuylkill miners and all miners work.
ing for those operators governed by
the Schuylkill Coal Exchange were
working at an advance granted in No
vember, 1SS5) another demand was
made bv the Lehieh miners in August,
1886, for an advance of 10 per cent.
and reduction of mine supplies, be-
ginning with the first day oe Septem,
Der, and like the previous demands, re-
quest was made that iu case of refusal
arbitration should be resorted tn. the
decision of which should be final. The
failure to grant this request for con-
ference and arbitration caused consid-
erable public notoriety and the miners
positively stated if some concessions
were not made stoppage of work
would take place.
The attention of the General Execu-
tive Board of the Knights of Labor
being called to the state of facts exist
ing in that section and the danger of a
strike, one of the officers Of the board
was sent into that section to invasti-
gate the matter and urge settlement.
The justice of the proposition reiterat
ed by the public press, after thorough
and careful research, was made go
plain that public appeals we're made to
the operators to make concessions and
avoid collision, but all to no purpose.
Finally proposition was offered by
the operators giving an advance of 2
per cent; which was accepted under
protest bv the mon, who continued
at work. The fonrth and final demand
was made on the 18th day of August
of the present year, asking an advance
on all wages and contract prices cover
the Middle Lehigh, the Northumber-
land and lower anthracite coal regions,
beginning with the first of September,
coupled with proposition that in
case of refusal arbitration was demand
ed, the decision to be final.
The officials of the philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron Company
agreed to meet the representatives Of
the workingmen, and by appointment
a meeting was arranged and compro
mlse effected, giving the employees oi
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company an advance of 8 per
cent, on the then existing wages, based
upon the price of coal at $3.50 per ton
at Schuylkill Haven, said wages to he
a minimum and an advance of 331
per cent on each dollar, or fractional
part of dollar, that coal wonld ad
vance on the market. The Reading
COLI cries continued at work, with al
others who signified their willingness
tn comply with the terms agreed tc
with the Reading Coal and Iron Com.
pany. During all this time the opera.
tors of the Middle Lehigh region, the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
the Lehigh Valley Company and the
Mineral Mining Company refused tc
meet committees appointed by organ
ICED labor and resisted any claim made
in advance. All efforts to arbitrats
the question on the part of the miners
proved useless, and the public svmpa
thy ia now appealed to to interfere in
behalf of suffering labor.
Statements by the operators have
been made through the public press at
tempting to prove that the wages paid
their employees were all that could IL
asked for, in the face of the fact that
the miserable pittance given is motor
iously insufficient for the ordinary sup
port of life for ourselves and our fam
lilies.
DANIEL DUFFY,
CHAs B. PALsGRovE.
p. J. KILEY,
ID M EVANS,
JOHN ] MEIGHAN,
JosEPH CAHILL
Committee on Appeal.